Counterbalancing lid support



March 7,1950 R.w. DOEG 2,499,907

vcouNTER-BALMCING LID SUPP-ORT Filed Jan. 5o, 1947- l 2 sheets-sheet 1 f /f/ f/f RHLPH W- D056 WML M Hrronncv March 7, 1950 Filed Jan. so, 1947 R. w DoEG ,2,499,907

COUNTERTBALANCING LID SUPPORT 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 JNVENToR. ,QnLp/l M0056 BY W L. 62M,-

Fr ramer Patented Mar. 7, 1950 ,iai

COUNTERBALANCING LID SUPPORT Ralph W. Doeg, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Nash- Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Application January 30, 1947, Serial No. 725,360

8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to cabinets and more particularly to counter-balances for hinged tops of refrigerator cabinets.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved counter-balance for heavy, hinged tops of cabinets which eliminates need for latching the lid to insure seal tight closing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide for hinged tops of refrigerator cabinets, an improved counter-balance of a character such that the top can not be accidentally left in a partially raised position below a predetermined raised position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved counter-balance for a hinged cabinet top in which the counter-balance becomes effective only to hold the top in raised positions above a predetermined position intermediate fully raised and fully lowered positions of the top.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved counter-balance for hinged tops of cabinets in which the counter-balance is ineffective as such when the top is closed.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following descrip-tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet, embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the cabinet of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional View of the cabinet, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure l, showing the top of the cabinet in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cabinet, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the top of the cabinet in its fully raised position;

Fig. 6 is another view similar to Figure 3, showing the top of the cabinet in an intermediate raised position; and

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the cabinet,

taken along the line l-l of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the refrigerator cabinet shown comprises, in general, a bottom wall 20, a iront wall 2 l, a rear wall 2i, end walls 23 and a hinged top or lid 24. The lid 24 may be hinged by one or more hinges 25 to the rear cabinet wall 22. A recessed finger grip 26 may be provided in the front edge of the lid to aid lifting of the same. Preferably, the bottom and upright walls of the cabinet are formed by an outer metal casing 21 and a metal liner 28. Heat insulating material 29 is interposed between the casing 21 and the liner 2li which insulation may be of any suitable type. A rigid, sheet metal covered frame 30 may form the upper edges of the cabinet walls, connecting the outer casing 2l and the liner 28 together. This frame 38 presents a solid seating surface for the lid 2li and for supporting the lid hinges 25.

The lid 2t comprises an outer sheet metal casing 3|, and a liner member or underside panel 32. Suitable heat insulating material 34 is provided between the outer casing 3l and the underside panel member 32 of the lid. The lid liner member 32 is preferably made of phenolic sheeting, but may be made of any other suitable material of low heat conductivity. Secured to the underside of the lid 24, a sealing member 35, preferably a continuous rubber gasket is provided, the gasket 35 extending along the outer edges of the lid to seat on the upper edges of the cabinet wall frame 33.

To aid in lifting the heavy lid 2li and to hold the lid in any raised position above a predetermined, intermediate position, I provide a counter-balance comprising, a, force exerting means or helical coil spring 36 and a force directing means or link 3l. In the present arrangement, the spring 36 is carried by the lid 2d and the link 31 is pivoted on the cabinet, but it will be seen that this arrangement may be reversed, if desired. The spring 36 is arranged so that its potential force is directed substantially normal to the axis of the hinges 25 in all positions of the lid 24. The link 3l operatively connects the spring 36 and the lid 24, acting to transmit a component force of the spring to counter-balance the lid, the component of spring force varying in accordance with raising and lowering of the lid as the angle of the link changes.

A guideway 38, preferably a channel retainer receives the spring 35, the guideway 38 being secured to the underside of the lid 2li, extending transversely with respect t0 the hinge axis. Tabs 39 which may be continuations of the sides of the channel guideway 38 extend through aligning slots in the lid panel 32 and in reinforcing plates M3 and are bent over to secure the channel guideway to the lid. One end of the channel guideway 38 is closed, as at 4|, providing an abutment for one end of the spring 36, the other end of the spring 36 acting against the free end, Vas at 42, of the link 3l. As shown, the free end of the link 31 extends into the channel guideway 38 through a slot l2 in the bottom thereof, the slot 42 extending longitudinally of the guideway. Adjacent its other end the link 38 is pivoted by a pivot pin 43 to a bracket 44 which is secured to an end wall of the cabinet, the pivot point of the link 37 being between the spring 35 and the lid hinges. Carried by the free end 42 of the link 37 is a spring abutment member d5 pivoted thereto by a pivot pin lit. On the pivot pin 46 on opposite sides of the spring abutment member 45, rollers 41 are preferably provided to decrease friction between the guideway and the free end of therlink. In closed position of the lid 24, thexed and free pivoted points of the link 3l are sustantially in the same horizontal plane in axial alignment with the coil spring 3G so that the spring exerts no force tending either to raise thelid or to close it. Also, in closed position of the lid 2'4, theV guideway 38 and the link 31 are laterally positioned, the link being offset as shown to avoid interference of the parts.

Closing of the lid 24 causes the spring to be compressed thereby, the spring 36 exerting its greatest or full potential force when the lid is fully closed. However, in closed position of the lid, the spring 3G and link 3l are at an angle of 180 to each other so that no component force of the spring is acting to raise the lid and/or to hold it closed. Thus, the lid 24 is vfree to seat of its own weight on the cabinet wall frame 3D. Immediately upon raising the lid 24, the counterbalance becomes eiective, aiding to raise the lid with the eiective counter-balancing component force of the spring increasing as the lid is continued to he raised. As a desired predetermined position of the lid 2li, such as the intermediate position shown in Figure 6 and in Figure 2 which may be about 40 to the horizontal, the increased component force of the spring 35 and the decreased moment of force of the lid become equal. Above this position of the lid 24, the counterbalance will hold the lid unaided in any raised position. However, if the lid24 is released in any position below the above mentioned intermediate position, the lid will swing down of its own weight to fully closed position. VThus, the counter-balance iseiective only to hold the lid 24 open in positions above a predetermined desired position so as to insure that the lid will not be accidentally left open in any position below the predetermined position. By arranging the spring 3B and the link 31 so that the spring has no counter-balancing eiect on the lid when the lid is closed, it will be understood that I takeadvantage of the entire weight ofthe lid to seal itself against the Wall frame 35i thus, eliminating need for latching the lid. Also, by this arrangement of spring and link, I provide for the counter-balancing force to become effective immediately upon raising of the lid but, not eiective to hold it in raised positions below a predetermined position.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator cabinet having a hinged top closure member, counter-balancing means arranged to direct a potential force substantially normal to the axis of the hinge and being operable only to hold the closure member in open positions above a predetermined position between fully closed and fully open positions, and lever means connecting said closure member and said counter-balancing means operable to change the moment of force of the counter-balancing means and operated by the closure member, said lever means having its fulcrum in substantially the same horizontal plane as the axis of the hinge.

2. In a refrigerator cabinet, a wall member, a hinged top closure member, a counter-balance spring carried by one of said members, said spring arranged to direct a potential force substantially normal to the axis of the closure member hinge and being operable only to hold the closure member in open positions above a predetermined position intermediate fully open and fully closed positions, and a link pivoted to the other of said members having a free end operatively connecting the spring and the closure member to direct a component of the spring force toward raising of the hinged top.

3. In a refrigerator cabinet, an upright wall member, a hinged top closure member of predeterminedweight, counter-balance force exerting means carried by one of said members arranged to exert a potential force operable to aid in` raising the closure member and in holding the closure member in raised position above a predetermined raised position intermediate fully closed and fully open positions, and a link pivoted to the other of saidV members operatively connecting the closure member and the counterbalance force exerting means and arranged to direct said potential force substantially normal to the closure member hinge when the closure member is in closed position, the link being pivoted `by and upon moment of the closure member correspondingly changing the moment of force of the counter-balance force exerting means.

4.1In` a refrigerator cabinet, an upright wall member, a hinged top closure member of predetermined weight, a counter-balancing spring carried by one of said members to aid in lifting the closure member and to hold the closure member in any raised position above a predetermined position intermediate fully closed and fully openedI positions, said spring being arranged to exert a force toward and substantially normal tothe axis of the hinge in excess of the force necessary to hold said closure member in open positions, a link operatively connecting the spring and said other member for directing the force of the springrto act in raising of the closure member and'for changing the moment of force of the spring in accordance with raising and lowering of the closure member, the link having one endvpivoted to the other of said members and having a free end engaged by the spring, and a guideway on said onemember receiving the free end of the link, the moment of force of the spring andthe moment of force of said closure member being substantially equal at said predetermined position of the closure member.

5. In a refrigerator cabinet having an upright wall member and having a hinged substantially horizontal topclosure member of predetermined weight, a spring carried by one of the members for holding the closure member in any desired raised position above a predetermined position intermediate fully closed and fully opened position,` thev spring being arranged to exert its force toward and transversely to the hinge axis in all positions of the closure mem-ber, a link pivoted adjacent one of its ends to the other of said members and having its free end operatively Vconnected to the spring, the link having its pivot axis spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel with the axis of the hinge. a slideway on said other member receiving and guiding the free end of the link so that the latter will follow raising and lowering of the closure member, the force exerted by the spring When the closure member is at substantially said predetermined angle being insuiicient to overcome the Weight of the closure member.

6. In a refrigerator cabinet having upright walls, a top hinged to one of the walls, an elongated guideway on the top spaced from and extending transversely of the hinge axis of the top, a coil spring in the guideway exerting a potential force substantially normalto the hinge axis, a force transmitting link having one end pivoted to one of said Walls intermediate the spring and the hinge of the top and having a free end in the guideway, a spring abutment member pivoted to the free end of the link in said guide- Way and engaged by said spring, rollers carried by said abutment member to reduce friction with the guideway, the link being arranged so that its pivot points substantially align with the axis of the spring when the top is in closed position.

7. In a refrigerator cabinet having an access opening in the top thereof, a hinged closure member for said opening, a counter-balancing spring carried by said closure member arranged to exert a potential force directed substantially normal to the axis of the closure member hinge irrespective of the position of the closure member, a lever fulcrumed on the cabinet arranged to pivot about an axis substantially parallel to and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the hinge axis, said lever having a free end engaged by said counter-balancing spring, and a guide member receiving said free end of said lever and disposed in substantially the same hori zontal plane as said fulcrum and said hinge only when the closure member is in closed position. 8. In a refrigerator cabinet having an access opening in the top thereof, a hinged closure member for said opening having its hinge axis in a substantially horizontal plane, an elongated retainer member carried by said closure member, said retainer member being arranged with its longitudinal axis substantially normal to the axis of said hinge, a coil spring carried by and Within said retainer member having its axis substantially normal to the axis of the hinge, and a lever iulcrumed on the cabinet to pivot about an axis substantially parallel with and in substantially the same horizontal plane as said hinge, said lever having a free end on the other side of its fulcrum from said hinge when said closure member is in closed position and engaged by said spring and guided by said retainer member to transmit a component of the spring force to raise said closure member.

RALPH W. DOEG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,549,705 Antonio Aug. 11, 1925 1,721,308 Lormor July 16, 1929 2,269,251 Carson Jan. 6, 1942 

